The purpose of this application is to seek training support for a well-defined period of specialized study that will enable the applicant to develop into an outstanding clinician and research scientist. The applicant's commitment to a career in laboratory research is substantial and, in the judgment of the candidate's mentors, his potential to develop into an independent investigator is excellent. A comprehensive six-year plan for the applicant's training program is presented in the current application. The training program includes didactic coursework and supervised basic science research experiences that will culminate in attainment of the PhD degree in Pharmacology &Toxicology, as well as completion of specialized postgraduate residency training in Orthodontics. A senior, well-funded, and experienced basic science research mentor and a clinical mentor with substantial research experience have been identified to provide cohesion and integration of the scientific growth and development of the applicant. A detailed research thesis proposal is presented in the current application that integrates the applicant's research training area (molecular mechanisms of craniofacial growth) with his orthodontic clinical training and future interests in academic dentistry. One hundred percent of the applicant's full-time professional effort, as outlined in the training program proposed in the current application, will be devoted to the goals of this K08 award. [unreadable] [unreadable]